"Stick to My Side (Four Tet Remix)" [ft. Panda Bear]

Rough Trade

Artists:

Panda meets Pantha! When we first heard word of this collaboration back in October, it was thrilling. But when I finally heard the pairing on "Stick to My Side" from Pantha du Prince's Black Noise, my initial excitement gave way to disappointment: They weren't actually well suited. The production was too dry, cold, and distant for Panda's vocal warmth (a quality he couldn't conceal if he tried), and the contrast didn't create any noteworthy tension, either. So the hope lay in a remix: Walls did a nice job of it, taking the song into a watery dream pop realm, but leave it to Four Tet to strike what seems to be the perfect balance. The bassline, when it first enters a few bars in, matches the melody and feels like an invitation, and the rest of the track follows through. Incorporating the bright, pulsing techno style of his latest album There Is Love in You, Kieren Hebden retains the song's momentum and optimistic bearing but wraps it in a cozy and welcoming sonic package that feels just right. The song finally found a place where it belongs.

[from "Stick to My Side" single, out now digitally and 03/23/10 on vinyl via Rough Trade]